Automatic switching device.



R. V. CHEATHAM & E. S. OLMSTED.

AUTOMATIC SWITCHING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.3|, m6.

Patented Sept. 4,1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT onnion.

ROBERT V. CHEATHAM, OF ST. MATTHEWS, AND ELMER S. OLMSTED, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNORS T0 CHEATHAM ELECTRIC SWITCHING DEVICE CGMPANY, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, A CORPORATION OF KENTUCKY.

AUTOMATIC SWITCHING DEVICE.

Specification of letters latent.

Application filed August 31, 1916. Serial No. 117,824.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ROBERT V. CHEA'P HAM and Emma S. OLMSTED, citizens of the United States, and residents of St. Matthews and Louisville, county of Jefferson, and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Improvement inAutomatic Switching Devices, of which the following is a specification.

The object of our invention is to produce an improvement in the switching devices shown in the earlier Cheatham Patents Nos. 612,702, 787,827 and 917,541, as well as other patents which it is not necessary to mention. In each of these patents is disclosed a trolley pan on a trolley wire, a relay or controlling magnet, a double solenoid with a core connected to the switchpoint rail, and the necessary wiring, so that when the device is in use with power on the motors of the car operating the switch, the switchpoint is always and invariably thrown in one direction, and when power is 01? the motors of the car, the switchpoint is always and invariably thrown in the other direction. WVhen carrying out the invention as shown in the first and last above mentioned patents, there has been trouble when a trolley wheel has stood under the trolley pan, because under such circumstances magnets have been burned out, or fuses have been burned out, causing unnecessary annoyance and incon- 'venience. To partially overcome this trouble the device shown in Patent No. 787,827 was invented. The invention of this device entirely overcame the burning out trouble, but it causes the switch to always be thrown in the way it is thrown when current is on the motors when the car is stopped. Another trouble has been that one car will follow another too closely and so, at times, the forward wheels of a car will be placed on one track and the rear wheels on another, and derailment is sure to ensue unless the car is promptly stopped. The object of our present invention 1s to overcome all difiiilzulties above enumerated, as will appear be- For a more particular description of our invention, reference is to be had to' the we companying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which-- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of our improved system.

Figs. 2 and 3 show a cut-out used in this system, Fig. 3 being-a sectional view of the structure shown in Fig. 2. 7

Throughout the various views of the drawings. similar reference characters designate similar parts.

()ur improved system 1 is provided with the ordinary trolley pan 2, which may be of any suitable kind, the relay 3, which may be of the conventional form such as has long been used, the double solenoids 4 and 5, the core 6 and the switchpoint rail 7 which parts have always been found in one form or another in each form of switch patented by Cheatham, as above set forth. The magnet 8 and the relay 3 receive electricity item a wire 9 that runs to a trolley wire 10 and delivers electricity to a wire 11 that runs to one bar 12 of the trolley pan 2. The other bar 13 of this trolley pan 2 is connected to a wire 14 which runs to a contact 15 of a cut-out 16, which will be described more in detail below. The switch blade 17 of the cut-out 16 is connected to a wire 18 that runs to a contact 19 of a second cut-out 20, which will be described more in detail below. At this time it is suflicient to say that the armature 21 of this second 'cut'out connects the contact 19 with the contact 22, as shown in Fig. 1, under certain conditions, and the contact 22 is connected by a wire 23 to the armature 24 of the magnet 8. This armature 24 may be a weight armature, or be provided with a spring 25, as shown, or be both a weight and spring armature. Weight armatures have the advantage of being sure, and spring armatures have the advantage of being quick. By combining a weight and spring with the same armature, one gets both advantages.

The armature 24 normally rests on a contact 26 but does not so rest when the magnet 8 is energized by a motor current, as then this armature is raised until it is in contact with the contact 27. These contacts are connected to the ground solenoids 5 and 4 by Patented Sept. 4., 191 1.

the wires 28 and 29'respectivelg. It is apparent from what has been sai that either. one. but not both at the same time, of these round solenoids'4 and 5 may be energized. %t is also aiparent that the one which is energized wi l be determined by whethefor notmotor power is applied through the trolley wheel 30 while it connects the bars 12 and 13 of the trolley pan 2. It will be noted that the bar 13 is not as long as the bar 12 but is supplemented by two end bars 31 and 32, both of which help to guide the trolley wheel in the conventional way. The bar 31 is, electrically speaking, dead, while the bar 32 is alive when the trolley wheel 30 connects it with the bar 12. and at no other time. In other words, the bar 31 could be made of insulating material, while the bar 32 must be made of a conducting material. 0

From the foregoing it is apparentthat when the trolley wheel 30 is in place, as shown. and power off the motors the switchpoint is thrown in one direction. and when power is on the motors the switchpoint is thrown in the other, and which way is determined by the motorman through his controller. If, for any reason, he has to stop while the trolley wheel 30 connects the bars 12 and 13, the cutout 16 will act in a'manncr which will now be described. i

The wire 14 is connected to a wire 33 in which is interposed a suitable resistance 34". which wire 33 runs to a magnet 34 of the cut-out 16, and from thence another wire runs to the ground 36. The magnet 34 is incased in a suitable casin 37 mounted in a switch-box or other suita le structure. and this casing 37 is about a non-magnetic tube 38, which is preferably made of hard rubher. and is fixed in the casing 37. It is covered at its lower end by a suitable covering 39. In this tube 38 runs a magnetic core 40. which. at its upper end carries a brass rod 41, w .ch runs through a cover 4'2. and this rod 41 weighted by a weight 43 which is carried thereon in any way and a quantity of mercury is placed in the tube 33. The upper and of the rod 41 is passed through a guide 44, and a pin 41 therein engages an arm 45 which is pivoted at 46 and fixedly connected to the sivitchblade 17 so that when the rod 41 is raised the blade i7 is oil the contact 15 and the circuit is upon. it is also apparent that this core 11) cannot be raised "15thIll'HlH'ullHl). or practically in stantaneously. hmzuusiof the mercury in 38. so that this core acts as a plunger in a dashpot, in the tube 33. lho dcvicc is so arranged and timed that it will be considerably slower than the action of the core (5 in the double solenoids 1 and so that after the trolley wlwcl 30 is in place on the bars 12 and 13. as shown. th switehpoint is thrown, if any throwing is required. before 17 until 5 long before the magnets 4 or n can be burned out; so they are amply pro tooled at all times.

The foregoing describes the structure and operation of the protecting device for tho magnets 4' and 5. it is apparent that when the trolley wheel 30 is oil" the ha r IS the circuit through the magnet 34 is open, and

then the switch 17 will fall on the contact 15 and again close the circuit at this point.

This puts the apparatus in condition for the next operation.

When the Wheel 30 reaches the short bar 32. a circuit is established through a wire 47 to a magnet 48 of the second cummi- Q0. and from there a wire 45) runs to a resistance 50 which is placed therein. and from there to the ground 36. Assuming that the apparatus is in normal use. this causes the armature 21 to be drawn to the position shown in dotted lines, and then a circuit is established trom the wire 9 thr ugh a wire 51 to a'. contact 5-3. armature ill. a Hm 0nd contact 53, thence through :1 wir 5| to one of the leads of the magnet 43. or the wire 47. so that the circuit is completed through the other load and wire 49. as above described. so that asjlong as the armature 21 is in the position indicated in dotted lines. a circuit will be complete to the ground 36 from the wire 9, which is always alive as it is directly connected to the trolley wire 10. It will be understood that the armature 2]. in the embodiment here shown, is pivoted at 35 and is provided with a counterweight 53 which always keeps it on the contacts 19 and when the magnet 48 is not energized. as above described. Assuming the armature 21 to be in the position shown in dotted. lines in Fig. l. the circuit is opened between the contacts 59 and 53 in the following manner. \Vhen the trolley wheel 30 reaches the position indicated at 3O where it is on the second trolley pan 5?.

at that time one of the hars 55% gets cleo tricity through a conductor 59 from the trolley wire 10. and the other bar 3! g t-is it through the trolley wln-cl; so that I. wire 3] which connected to the bar 63. receives electricity and transmit it. as indicated. to the irc 49 just above the resistan e. so that electricity can llow directly from thc trollcy wire through the parts aboi c indicated and wire 61 to the ground 36. except for the opposition of the resistance of the wire, which is small, and the resistance 50. This practicallv short-circuits the magnet 48 and render it so that it cannot ovcrcomc the opposition of the weight'l'ill and thereby causes the circuit to open, as above indi: cated, so that the apparatus is restored to its normal and original condition, and is ready for the next operation, and then the trolley wheel 30 passes along the trolley wire 10 and out of the device. It will be understood that the trolley pan 5'? is placed substantially above and 11st before the switchpoint 7, so that the car will be through the switchpoint 7 before the trolley wheel 30 enters the trolley pan 57.

In view of the foregoing, the operation of our improved switching device will be readily understood. It is obvious that under normal conditions it will. act precisely the same as the switching devices described in the above mentioned patents. If, however, the trolley wheel 30 remains too long on the bars 12 and 13, the circuit opener 16 will act, as above described, to protect the magnets 4 and 5 and when the car is a ain started the swltchpoint 7 will not be shi ed because the circuit is open between the parts 17 and 15. To prevent a car passin over the switch from bein interfered wit by a following car it is o vious that the actlon of the second cut-out 20 is suflicient to open the armature circuit at a second point, and

keep it open,,until the trolley wheel 30' is on the second trolley pan 57, when the device is restored to normal. Thereafter it is ready for an indefinite repetition of the cycles above described.

While we have shown and described one embodiment of our invention, it is obvious that it is not restricted thereto, but may be modified in an of manyways, all of which come within t e scope of our invention as set forth in the annexed claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1 In a system of the class described, a trolley wire with two trolley pans placed. thereon and spaced a art, one of these trolley pansbeing place so that a car passin under the same may have its trolley whee engage it in time to operate a switch, and the second trolley an so placed that the switch will be passed y the car before this second trolley pan is engaged, a circuit controller, wires connecting the circuit controller with the first mentioned trolley pan, a double solenoid, a ground for said double solenoid,wiring connecting the double solenoid with the circuit controller, two circuit openers or cut-outs and a round for each, and wiring connecting said cut-outs with the said trolley pans so that one cut-out is connected with each, all of said parts being arranged and disposed so that when in use the system always works power on and power off the motors of a car using the same, and so that if this car stands too long in connection with the first trolley pan, a cut-out opens the circuit through the double solenoid, and so that when this car leaves the first trolley pan, no succeeding car can energize a coil of the double solenoid until the first car has engaged the second trolley pan. 2. In a system of the class described, a trolley wire with a trolley pan 'mounted thereon, a circuit controller, wiring connecting the trolley pan and circuit controller, a double solenoid, wiring connecting the circuit controller and double solenoid, a ground for said double solenoid. a circuit opener, a ground for said circuit opener, a wire connecting said circuit opener with said trolley pan, and a second wire for connecting said circuit opener with said circuit controller, all of said parts being so arranged and disposed that when in use the system always works power on and power oil the motors of a car using the same, and so that if this car stands too long in connection with the trolley pan the cut-out opens the circuit through the double solenoid and thereby ,revcnts a coil of the double solenoid from eing burned out.

3. In a system of the class described, a

trolley wire with two trolley pans spaced apart and laced thereon, one of said trolley pans llfilflfi' so placed that a trolley wheel will engage t e same before the car to which the wheel is attached reaches a switch-point, and the other trolley pan being so placed that this car will have passed the switchpoint before its trolley wheel engages the second trolley pan, a circuit controller, wir ing between the circuit controller and the first mentioned trolley an, a double solenoid, wiring between tile double solenoid and the circuit controller, a ground for said double solenoid, a second ground and a cut-- out connected to the second ground and the trolley wire and both trolley pans. suitable wiring, all arranged and disposed so that when in use the system always works power on and power off the motors of a car using the same, the cutout bein connected to the two troliey pans so that w en this car leaves the first trolley pan, no succeeding car can energize a coi of the double solenoid. until the first car has engaged the second trolley pan.

ROBERT v. GHEATHAM. ELMER s. OLMSTED. 

